Today, we're going to get to know Natalie Gregg. Natalie has worked as a project manager here at Element Fusion since August of 2007. Every day, she is on the front lines of communication with Element Fusion's services clients. If you are an Element Fusion services client, you have likely worked with Natalie before. 

I asked Natalie a few questions and she was kind enough to respond. Here's a look at my interview with her.

Me: How did you get started in your project management career?

Natalie: My career in project management started at an Internet Service Provider when all that was offered was dial-up service and the Internet was just gaining popularity. I became the Lead Project Manager with a staff of four project managers working for me. I discovered that I had an ability to coordinate and lead people, and it became not only a career decision for me, but a passion as well.

Me: What do you love most about being an Element Fusion project manager?

Natalie: I get to meet so many amazing people. I love to drive down the street and see businesses and say, "Hey, I was the project manager for their website." I feel like I played a role in not only Element Fusion's success, but also the successes of those companies for whom we have created amazing websites.

Me: What makes you unique in the way you go about meeting a customer's needs?

Natalie: I believe there are two crucial objectives in client interactions and project management. The most important is to effectively communicate, and the second most important is to consider each client and his or her project as unique and to figure out how they work best. Each client is so different. It is important that you cater to each client's needs individually.

Me: Are you a super-organized person in your personal life, or do you use up all of your organizational energy at the office and let it all go at home?

Natalie: I would consider myself to be fairly organized in my home life as well as my business life. I am picky about certain things with my home, but at the same time, having children, you have to learn how to let the small things go and to have a balance between organization and spending time with the people who matter the most to you.

Me: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to grow their skill in or pursue a career in project management, especially in the web industry?

Natalie: COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION! I cannot stress that enough. If you look over any situation that has resulted in some negativity, the cause is always the same. Somewhere along the line, there was a breakdown in communication. Communication is a key fundamental in project management, but I also feel it carries over to all aspects of business and life in general. There are many facets of project management — milestones, budgets, organization ... etc. — but effective communication will always lead to a successful project.